Been a while since we've done one of these, may as well start the ball rolling early:

Saw this in todays courier:

GREGORY Tade could be set to hand Caley Thistle manager Terry Butcher a major boost ahead of the start of the new Scottish Premier League season. The Frenchman, a summer signing at Inverness after being released by Raith Rovers, has missed a large part of pre-season with an injury to his Achilles.

The problem was expected to sideline Tade for the beginning of the new campaign this weekend, but the 24-year-old forward is set to be included in a Caley Thistle squad that travels to Buckie Thistle tonight for a testimonial match.

Should he prove his fitness at Victoria Park this evening, Tade, who remained in Inverness to receive treatment for the injury while the Highland Capital club were in England last week, could force his way into the reckoning for Saturday?s SPL opener against Motherwell at Fir Park.

?Gregory has come on really well and he?s just desperate to play,? said Butcher. ?It?s a shame he missed the trip to England because he?s a real character and would have loved it.

?We will take it cautiously with him and see how it goes at Buckie, but it?s certainly a positive step and hopefully his Achilles will stand up to the test.?

Fellow new arrival Billy McKay and Shane Sutherland have both recovered from injury and will go to Buckie, but Butcher confirmed it will be a squad predominantly made up of youngsters as he gives his more senior players a well-earned rest following their exertions south of the border.

If no further signings are made before saturday then i think with our injury sitation a little better and with the likely formation change that Butcher has alluded to, i think we might line up something like this:

-----------ESSON---------

PROCTOR-----TOKELY-------ALDRED-------GILLET

-----------TANSEY----------

DORAN-------------------------ROSS

--------------HAYES------------

------TADE---------FORAN----------

But is that the team you would choose or are you trying to guess Tel's? I find the former more fun.

But is that the team you would choose or are you trying to guess Tel's? I find the former more fun.

Thats the team i think he'll go for

If it were me then i'd go:

--------------ESSON-------------

PROCTOR(SEEING AS WE HAVE NO OTHER RBs)------TOKELY--------ALDRED----GILLET

DORAN-------TANSEY------SHINNIE------HAYES

--------ROSS(BASICALLY FREE ROLE BEHIND THE STRIKER)------------------------------

--------------------------------FORAN-----

esson

proctor--tokely--aldred-g.shinnie

tansey--a.shinnie

hayes--ross--doran

foran

i dont really see a need to change the setup of the team. if mekings was fit maybe he'd put tokely at RB? ui think TB will have a dilema whether to put greame shinnie at left back or left wing, but with ross, hayes and doran 3 of his favourite players i dont think shiinie will have a chance in a more forward role. i think morrison aswell might be a surpriseto the first 11. you never know

is shinnie (graeme the original one) injured right now??? i'd be more than tempted to be putting him in ahead of gillet at LB. so i'd be going with.

Esson

Proc --- Tokely --- Aldred --- G.Shinnie (Gillet if he isn't fit)

Tansey --- A.Shinnie

Hayes --- Ross --- Doran

Foran

For me:

Esson

Proctor - Tokely - Aldred - Gillet

Hayes - Ross - Tansey - Shinnie - Doran

Foran

Looks fairly negative with 5 across the midfield but I'd look for Hayes and Doran to do a lot of the attacking/providing. All three of the centre midfield can score goals, so they would have to take the opportunity to burst forward whenever they can. One of them has to dominate the midfield though and decide who that should be. I don't know their personalities but Tansey is the more experienced, whilst Shinnie has captained at junior Scotland level, so more likely one of them.

There's not enough defenders to really pick'n'choose. I think Proctor would be far more at home in def mid but we can see after 20 mins if Proctor and Tokely should be swapping RB and CB.

I sincerely doubt Tade (likewise Sutherland and McKay) would be fit enough to be effective for anything other than the last 30 mins or so, so that's why I've got one up front. I'm quite looking forward to seeing Tade. Although he's not scored too much in his career, I think we could see a lot of goals from playing him in the goal-hanger position that Rooney played. Less support from him down the wing, just let him muscle his way in and use some pace.

So nice to see this thread back again :biggrin:

Esson

Proctor (would prefer new RB), Tokely, Aldred, Gillet

Hayes, A. Shinnie, Tansey, Ross, Doran

Foran,

Subs: Tuffey, G. Shinnie, Meekings (if fit), McKay, Morrison, Sutherland, Tade

I sincerely hope that out of the 3 or 4 new faces he brings in 2 are defenders. Proctor has been far from convincing and we have no real cover for Tokely or Aldred as Meekings still isnt fully fit i think. Wouldnt mind seeing Tade get a start but maybe bench seeing as he has been injured.

Esson

Proctor Tokely Aldred Gillett

Ross Tansey

Hayes Shinnie Doran

Foran

Dont think Tade will start and with Meekings and Cox not fit I think this is the strongest team.

We need a decent right back

So far, every single person has chosen the same players, except G. Shinnie (who I believe is injured). Not too much difference in tactics either. It just depends who we're shoving as the (prime) attacking mid.

Renegade - this is your cue

Edited July 19, 201114 yr by starchief

Esson

Proctor Tokely Aldred Gillet

Tansey

Hayes Ross Doran

Foran Sutherland

Subs: Tuffey Shinnie Shinnie Tade McKay Morrison

I am very surprised that i am the only person so far to put sutherland in the starting 11. He had a terrific end to last season and deserves to start this one

I am very surprised that i am the only person so far to put sutherland in the starting 11. He had a terrific end to last season and deserves to start this one

He's been injured all pre season - that may be why he isn't getting picked.

Other than Tansey do we have any other ball winners in he middle of the park?

Hi folks,

'Well fan in peace.

Looking for a Caley fan to take part in the 'View From the Opposition' feature for the Motherwell matchday programme .

Anybody got a spare five minutes in which they could help me out?

Hi folks,

'Well fan in peace.

Looking for a Caley fan to take part in the 'View From the Opposition' feature for the Motherwell matchday programme .

Anybody got a spare five minutes in which they could help me out?

Alternative Maryhill is the master wordsmith. I'll text him just now.

---------------esson--------------

tokely-aldred-gillet-G.shinnie

-------------tansey--------------

hayes-------------------doran

--------------ross---------------

----sutherland-foran------

subs: tuffey, proctor, tade, mckay, cox, morrison, polworth

---------------esson--------------

tokely-aldred-gillet-G.shinnie

-------------tansey--------------

hayes-------------------doran

--------------ross---------------

----sutherland-foran------

subs: tuffey, proctor, tade, mckay, cox, morrison, polworth

Swap Ross and Hayes and I'd go with that though I dont think G. Shinnie is fit.

Lots of folk going for a back 4. Back 3 instead? Push up and play the offside trap.

Renegade - this is your cue

Okay, here we go!

An attacking Marcelo Bielsa-esque 3-3-1-3 for me -

Esson

Tokely Aldred Gillet

A.Shinnie

Hayes------------------------------------G.Shinnie

Tansey

Tade-----------------------Foran-----------------------Doran

I'd rather go for a 3 man defence than play Proctor!

Subs - Tuffey, McKay, Ross, Sutherland, Proctor, Morrison, Meekings

If Graeme Shinnie is injured, then Ross takes his place.

Edited July 19, 201114 yr by Renegade

At the moment unfortunately the backline picks itself and I don't see TB starting with 3 at the back, I can't recall a game where he has actually done that which means through desperation rather than want I think Proctor will start, I still stand by my thought from a previous thread months ago that if he had of been out of contract he would have been away as well. I see it as a 4-5-1 with two wide men pushing up in attack with some fire power on the bench to throw on if needed judging by their lack of match fitness.

GK: Esson

LB: Gillet

CB: Aldred

CB: Tokely

RB: Proctor

DCM: Tansey

CM: A Shinnie

CM: Ross

AMR: Hayes

AML: Doran

STR: Foran

Bench: Tuffey, Morrison, Cox, Meekings, Tade, Sutherland, G Morrison(if fit)

I'm with Alex, ooft I'm excited ;-)

ESSON

BROADFOOT TOKELY ALDRED GILLET

DORAN TANSEY ROSS HAYES

LOWE FORAN

ESSON

BROADFOOT?? TOKELY ALDRED GILLET

DORAN TANSEY ROSS HAYES

LOWE?? FORAN

You at the tealeaves again??

Renegade - this is your cue

Okay, here we go!

An attacking Marcelo Bielsa-esque 3-3-1-3 for me -

Esson

Tokely Aldred Gillet

A.Shinnie

Hayes------------------------------------G.Shinnie

Tansey

Tade-----------------------Foran-----------------------Doran

I'd rather go for a 3 man defence than play Proctor!

Subs - Tuffey, McKay, Ross, Sutherland, Proctor, Morrison, Meekings

If Graeme Shinnie is injured, then Ross takes his place.

I'd go with Rene's but have Ross start in place of G Shinnie. I'd be inclined to start with Proc over big Rossco though.

Edited July 19, 201114 yr by Top Six Next Year

Andrew Shinnie is an attacking midfielder though. Really we only have Cox and Proctor that can play defensive midfield. Possibly Tansey could go in there, although I've never read anything about him being a tackler.

I'd go with:

Esson

Proctor Tokely Aldred Gillet

Tansey

Ross Doran

Hayes

Tade Foran

Subs: Tuffey, G Shinnie, Meekings, Cox, A Shinnie, Sutherland, McKay

But I actually have no idea who is fit/unfit at the moment.

Edited July 20, 201114 yr by caleyfan4ever